Hiking the Roughlock Falls Trail in Spearfish Canyon of the Black Hills, South Dakota
Distance (Roundtrip): 1.8 miles / 2.9 km
The Roughlock Falls Trail in Spearfish Canyon, South Dakota is a short and easy day hike along Little Spearfish Creek that leads to not one but two waterfalls!
That said, Roughlock Falls can be a very different adventure depending on where you decide to begin.
By this, I mean that the Roughlock Falls Trail can be as easy as a short walk from the drive-up parking lot off Roughlock Falls Road, or it can be a beautiful, easy 0.9-mile (1.4 km) hike beginning from one of two trailheads near Spearfish Canyon Lodge.
Either way, visitors can see both the Upper and Lower Roughlock Falls from both routes, but this post is about the full hike that begins near the Savoy Junction.
Roughlock Falls Trailhead Parking
Parking for the Roughlock Falls Trail can be found in one of three parking areas, with the first two shown below near Savoy Junction and Spearfish Canyon Lodge.
That said, there is the option to park at the Roughlock Falls Trailhead, just to the south of the lodge off Roughlock Falls Road, or hikers can park at the Spearfish Falls Trailhead, located outside the Latchstring Restaurant on the opposite side of the highway.
The last parking area is the drive-up trailhead down Roughlock Falls Road, which is the closest and most direct route to see both waterfalls.
Google Maps Directions: Roughlock Falls Trailhead / Roughlock Falls Trailhead (Drive-up)
Hiking Checklist - South Dakota
According to the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) and the U.S. Forest Service, there are Black Bears in South Dakota, but encounters are considerably rare.
That said, here is a complete list of must-have things that you will want for any hike in South Dakota.
Hiking the Roughlock Falls Trail
This is the trailhead behind Spearfish Canyon Lodge, where the Roughlock Trail begins by crossing Little Spearfish Creek.
To skip ahead to the Roughlock Falls Trailhead beginning at Spearfish Canyon Lodge, click here.
Roughlock Falls-Spearfish Canyon Lodge Junction
Almost immediately after crossing Little Spearfish Creek, the Roughlock Falls Trail meets this junction with the path that begins at Spearfish Canyon Lodge.
From here, go right to begin hiking upstream toward both the Upper and Lower Roughlock Falls.
After turning right, the Roughlock Falls Trail will simply follow Little Spearfish Creek up to the waterfall on a mostly flat, easy trail.
This gate is simply for the short service road between the parking lot and the trail.
This is where the Roughlock Falls Trail begins to make its way around the large horseshoe bend in Little Spearfish Creek, with the waterfall located almost exactly on the far side.
If you’re planning a long day of adventures in Spearfish Canyon beyond the Roughlock Falls Trail, such as the 76 Trail or the Devil’s Bathtub Trail, I recommend wearing a hooded sun shirt to stay safe, as there is a lot of exposure on most of the day hikes in the canyon.
This is where the Roughlock Falls Trail begins curving around the west side of the large horseshoe bend in the canyon, and it’s a nice sign that the split for both Upper and Lower Roughlock Falls is not far ahead!
How to Time the Best Colors in Spearfish Canyon?
If you’re wondering how to time the fall colors in Spearfish Canyon, a general rule of thumb is the last week of September and the first week of October, with a few days on either side of October 1st being the best.
That said, this really is just an average, and to know for sure, there are at least two sources I recommend checking.
The first is the national fall foliage map linked below, but there is also a more up-to-date color report specifically for Spearfish Canyon that is the best and most accurate source.
This is why, if you already have a trip planned to western South Dakota around this time of year, I recommend checking the Spearfish Canyon Report daily, with the intention of making it a last-second day trip, so that you don’t miss the best of the colors!
Explore Fall: Fall Foliage Map
Visit Spearfish: Spearfish Canyon Color Report
Lower Roughlock Falls-Upper Roughlock Falls Junction
This is the split for both Upper and Lower Roughlock Falls.
That said, go straight to see the Lower Falls, or go right to hike up and around to either of the two Upper Roughlock Falls viewpoints.
Lower Roughlock Falls Trail
This is the short 0.1-mile (0.2 km) boardwalk that leads to Lower Roughlock Falls.
Lower Roughlock Falls
This cascade is Lower Roughlock Falls, and from here the upper waterfall can be seen, but only barely, through the narrow canyon in the distance.
Upper Roughlock Falls Trail
If you had chosen to go right at the previous junction, this is the trail would lead you to the Upper Roughlock Falls viewpoint—the same paved path that begins at the drive-up parking area mentioned earlier in this article.
At the top of the hill, there’s either the option to go left to reach the better of the two viewpoints for Upper Roughlock Falls, or straight to continue across Little Spearfish Creek toward another viewpoint on the far side.
Upper Roughlock Falls
In my opinion, this is the better of the two viewpoints to see Upper Roughlock Falls, as the viewpoint on the other side is a little more obstructed.
Upper Roughlock Falls-Drive-up Roughlock Falls TH Junction
This final split in the trail is for the path that leads out to the drive-up Roughlock Falls Trailhead just a short distance to the right.
However, to get to the second Roughlock Falls viewpoint, go left at this split.
Roughlock Falls
This is the second viewpoint on the east side of Little Spearfish Creek, and as mentioned previously, I don’t believe it’s as good as the first.
Roughlock Falls Trailhead (Spearfish Canyon Lodge)
If you arrive at the Savoy Junction in Spearfish Canyon and find parking immediately near the Spearfish Falls Trail, I don’t think it’s worth the effort to drive over to the Roughlock Falls Trailhead behind Spearfish Canyon Lodge.
Instead, the Roughlock Falls Trail can also begin by crossing the highway and the creek, then meeting up with the same trail by following this route here.
After crossing the highway, go left to hike around Spearfish Canyon Lodge.
Roughlock Falls-Old Spearfish Creek Dam Junction
When the trail reaches the junction on the far side of Little Spearfish Creek, go right to begin hiking the same Roughlock Falls Trail shown at the beginning, which will meet the other route from the main trailhead just a short distance ahead.
Roughlock Falls-Spearfish Canyon Lodge Junction
This is where the Roughlock Falls Trail from Spearfish Canyon Lodge meets the same junction shown on the far side of Little Spearfish Creek from the very beginning of this article.
That said, go straight (left) at this junction to continue hiking toward Roughlock Falls.
To skip back to this same junction shown previously, click here.
South Dakota
Wyoming
